1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to audio recording distribution, and, more particularly, to providing custom audio mix operations in multi-channel audio recordings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior art audio recordings, and, more particularly music recordings, are commercially distributed in a predefined and substantially unalterable stereophonic (“stereo”) format. Typically, original “master” audio tracks (e.g., a vocal track, a lead guitar track, a bass guitar track and a drum track) that were recorded in a music studio and, thereafter, mixed by an audio engineer are fixed in a compact disc (“CD”), audio cassette, vinyl disc (LP record), and more recently, DVD, DVD-audio, SACD or other media format for commercial distribution, collectively “playable media”.
As used herein, a “master track” refers, generally, to one or more of a single recording instance. For example, a singer who is recording a song may sing the song once, referred to generally as a “take,” into a microphone and the take is recorded. The singer then sings the song again, thereby recording a second take. After several takes are recorded, a single take is isolated, or a plurality of takes is combined, and a master track is created therefrom. Typically, a master track is recorded so that playback of the track occurs on at least one audio channel, e.g., a left or a right channel in a stereophonic recording. This process is commonly referred to in the art as “panning”.
An audio channel (or, simply, “channel”) refers, generally, to a mechanism providing a single path in a multi-path system for simultaneously and separately recording or transmitting sounds from the one source (see, for example, Webster's Third International Dictionary). A master track is, typically, mixed with other master tracks and plays on at least one single channel (e.g., the left stereo channel). A single channel may, in some instances, play only a single master track. More typically, a single channel plays a plurality of master tracks representing one or more voices, one or more instruments or combinations thereof, that are combined or blended (referred to herein, generally, as “mixed”) together. In other cases, a single master track, such as a lead vocal track, is formatted to play over two channels.
In a prior art stereo audio recording, master audio tracks are mixed to play over two channels, i.e., the left channel and right channel. Thus, in a stereo system, each channel is made up of one or more master tracks. The master tracks cannot be re-mixed by a purchaser of the playable media, i.e., the compact disc, cassette, vinyl LP or the like. Although the individual master tracks and individual takes are usually saved, for example, in a recording studio's archives, they are not made available to the general public for re-mixing.
Home multi-track recording has been available for a considerable amount of time. Multi-track recorders have included equipment for recording multiple audio tracks on reel-to-reel tape, cassette tape, and digital media, including hard disks, compact discs and recordable DVDs, for example.
Relatively recently, multi-track digital recording software applications have been developed, and are now commercially available at affordable prices. For example CAKEWALK, BAND-IN-A-BOX, N-TRACK STUDIO, POWERTRACKS PRO AUDIO, PRO-TOOLS or the like available from the known suppliers have enabled people to make multi-track digital recordings using personal computer technology.
Home multi-track recording, especially in a digital form, is a cost-effective and useful way for musicians to record and distribute their music without the overhead of a professional quality recording studio. Typically, musicians who wish to distribute their music use multi-track recording systems to record master audio tracks. The musicians may function as audio engineers, or, alternatively, hire audio engineers to mix the master tracks in order to create a finished, stereo recording of their music. Thereafter, the stereo recording is transferred (referred to in the art as “burned”) to a compact disc or other playable media for eventual distribution.
FIG. 1 shows an example prior art playable media commonly referred to as an audio CD that has a stereo recording having left and right channels. As shown in FIG. 1, master tracks 1, 2 and 3, for example, having lead guitar, vocals and drums, are mixed to play on the left stereo channel, and master tracks 4, 5 and 6, for example, having rhythm guitar, vocals and keyboard, are mixed to play on the right stereo channel.
Typically, master audio tracks that are recorded in a native digital multi-track recording application (e.g., “CAKEWALK”) are formatted in one or more digital audio files, for example, formatted as AIFF, WAV, PCM, and/or RIFF files, which are usually uncompressed and, typically, large in size. A multi-track audio recording having, for example, sixteen master tracks typically includes sixteen separate audio files (e.g., WAV files), wherein one file contains a single track. Furthermore, digital multi-track recording software applications use one or more additional files, sometimes referred to as project files, which include information regarding combing the master tracks according to a predetermined mix, and then for manipulating the levels of each respective track, for example, to adjust volume, special effects, or the like.
Musicians who distribute their music in an audio CD or the like, typically do not distribute each individual master track to consumers for various reasons. One reason is that the recipient of a digital multi-track recording typically will require the multi-track recording software application that was originally used to record or mix the tracks in order to play the recording. The recipient may also require additional information files, such as project files, to play the multi-track recording. Another reason is that original multi-track digital recordings are typically very large in size, requiring many hundreds of megabytes or even gigabytes of space per individual song. This makes it impractical to distribute many songs, each having a size of several hundreds of megabytes, to a large number of people. Thus, commercial distribution of audio recordings, particularly music recordings, continues in a pre-mixed stereo version that, albeit considerably smaller in size, lacks features for manipulating individual master tracks for custom mixing operations.
Technology regarding audio reproduction has also developed over the years. From monaural playback to stereo, Hi Fidelity, and now to surround sound formats, audio reproduction technology strives to accurately emulate the sound of original recordings.
People have come to appreciate surround sound technology while attending movie theaters equipped with multi-channel sound systems. Recently, multi-channel sound technology has become available to the home consumers in the form of DVD video, DVD audio and SACD audio. These and other known formats have enhanced audio reproduction quality over time.
FIG. 2 shows a known DVD that includes a multi-channel soundtrack commonly referred to as 5.1, AC-3 or DOLBY DIGITAL surround sound audio compression. The audio compression encodes a range of audio channels into a bit stream. As shown in the example DVD of FIG. 2, six channels are provided that include a left channel, a center channel, a right channel, a left-surround channel, a right-surround channel, and a sixth channel that provides bass information (providing frequencies of up to 150 Hz), known as a low frequency effect channel, or LFE. It is found that for frequencies below 150 Hz, i.e., bass tones, the direction of the frequencies cannot be detected by human ears.
As technology directed to enhancing the audio listening experience continues to evolve, new patterns have started to form. For example, scores of people download stereo music in MP3 form. It is believed by the inventor that people will continue to desire to interact with audio recordings over time.